Condensation system for low pressure gaseous media, such as exhaust steam of steam power plants

ABSTRACT

In an air-cooled condensation system for low pressure gas media, such as exhaust steam of steam power plants, a low level collecting chamber is connected to elevated cooling elements by a multiplicity of vertically extending distribution tubes.

O United States Patent 1191 [111 3,799,253 Kelp [451 Mar. 26, 19.74

[ CONDENSATION SYSTEM FOR LOW [58] Field of Search 165/111, 122, 47, 108

PRESSURE GASEOUS MEDIA, SUCH AS EXHAUST STEAM OF STEAM POWER [56] References Cited PLANTS UNITED STATES PATENTS [75] Inventor: Fritz Kelp, Mulheim, Germany 3,703,592 11/1972 Kassat et al 165/111 3 A K ft k'U Akt' ll h it, 1 Sslgnee 3 3: 312? sg j Sc a Primary Examiner-Charles Sukalo Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Herbert L. Lerner [22] Filed: Feb. 14, 1972 v 21 Appl. No.: 226,071 ABSTRACT In an air-cooled condensation system for low pressure [30] Foreign Appncation Priority Data gas media, such as exhaust steam of steam power 9 2107013 plants, a low level collecting chamber is connected to l Germany elevated cooling elements by a multiplicity of verti- [52] U S Cl 165M l65/l22 cally extending distribution tubes. [51] Int. Cl. F28h 3/00 11 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEU MAR 2 6 I974 SHEEI 1 OF 3 CONDENSATION SYSTEM FOR LOW PRESSURE GASEOUS MEDIA, SUCH AS EXHAUST STEAM F STEAM POWER PLANTS The invention relates to a condensation system for exhaust steam of steam power plants, as well as for condensing other gaseous media of low pressure in chemical and industrial installations. [t is an object of the invention to assure a highly uniform steam supply from the exhaust steam outlet of a steam engine to a multiplicity of cooling elements of a preferably air-cooled condensation system.

When distribution lines have heretofore been provided between the exhaust steam outlet of the turbine and the cooling elements for distributing turbine exhaust steam to a multiplicity of air-cooled condensation elements, they have been in the form of pipelines that were welded from sheet steel and were constructed with branches, elbows and the like so that by providing steam flow path stretches that are as equal in length as possible and by providing a specific number of path reversals and branches as well as by suitably shaping the interior of the pipeline system, a substantially equal pressure drop occurs in the individual lines that are traversed by the flow parallel to one another. It is often not possible, however, because of architectural factors and structural limitations, to realize a completely uniform steam distribution, so that varying pressure losses in the individual pipelines must be contended with. However, varying pressures cause a reduction in the overall output of the plant.

In the heretofore known constructions of condensation systems of this general type, difficulties have also been presented in attempting to protect the exhaust steam line against undue deformation by reinforcing or stiffening the line. In particular, special steps must be taken to compensate for expansions or elongations that are conditioned on temperature.

As the size of the power plants and their steam turbines increases, air-cooled condensation systems become ever more extensive and complex, so that increasingly longer and often unequal steam flow path stretches or distances from the exhaust outlet of the steam turbine to a multiplicity of cooling elements must be bridged. Because of the quantity of steam flow and the volume of cooling air, ever more costly constructions result.

It has already been proposed heretofore to branch off successive individual distribution lines, as required, from a manifold connected to the exhaust steam outlet of the turbine and to decrease the diameter of the manifold stepwise in accordance with the further onflowing remainder quantity of steam. This measure, which was the objective of a heretofore known proposal does not, however, permit all of the steam flow paths to be of equal length and is suited only for installations which extend over very long distances in a single direction and not in two directions with respect to the steam distribution.

it is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a condensation system for low pressure gas media, such as exhaust steam of steam power plants, which avoids the foregoing disadvantages of the heretofore known condensation systems of this general type.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, there is provided in accordance with the invention, condensation system for low pressure gas media comprising a collecting chamber located at a lower level, a condenser having a plurality of cooling elements located at a higher level, and a multiplicity of substantially similar channels interconnecting the collecting chamber and the condenser.

More specifically in accordance with the invention, a collecting chamber or plenum is located at a lower level or subterraneously and is connected by a multiplicity of substantially similar rectilinear distribution tubes or guide channels, especially of equal length, to cooling elements of a condensation system located above the collecting chamber.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, the distribution tubes extend through the interior of the collecting chamber and are securely fastened in the ceiling of the collecting chamber, the lower ends of the distribution tubes being anchored in the bottom of the collecting chamber.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the collecting chamber is at least partly subterraneous and comprises a brick or concrete enclosure having a floor or base that is at least part of the foundation of the structure. The distribution tubes are embedded in the foundation, and suitable lateral openings are formed therein at locations thereof within the collecting chamber, so that the gaseous medium or steam is introducible therethrough from the collecting chamber into the interior of the distribution tubes.

In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, the distribution tubes support the cooling elements or parts of the condensation system or the entire condensation system altogether. For this purpose, and in accordance with yet another feature of the invention, support paws are disposed on the distribution tubes in an upper region thereof and, for example, holder members for the cooling elements or the entire condensation system are mounted on the support paws. MOreover, besides the condensation devices, the jacket enclosing the cooling elements together with associated devices, can be mounted on the support paws, so that the distribution tubes can ultimately support or partly support an entire cooling tower.

The distribution tubes which extend through the ceiling of the collecting chamber can, by themselves, statically support without additional reinforcement, the ceiling of the steam collecting chamber. If, in addition to the condensation elements, further support structures, stages, stairs and other rising parts of cooling chimneys are to be supported on the distribution tubes, in most cases special reinforcement of the distribution tubes may nevertheless be unnecessary because they have already been provided with the necessary strength for the anticipated loads by the manner in which they have been constructed and machined. Elbows and branches or taps may be dispensed with because the number and disposition of the distribution tubes can be freely selected in the most appropriate manner.

Elements to compensate for elongation or expansion are dispensed with, because the mounted components are able to withstand small variations in height in the same direction without damage.

Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.

Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in condensation system for low pressure gaseous media, such as exhaust steam or steam power plants, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein with out departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.

The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a partly diagrammatic vertical sectional view of the condensation system for low pressure gaseous media according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of FIG.I taken along the line II II in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along the line III III in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view, partly broken away, of a cooling tower in which another embodiment of the condensation system of FIG. 1 is incorporated.

Referring now to the drawings, and first particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is provided therein a longitudinal vertical sectional view of an installation in which a collecting chamber 5 for exhaust steam is located below the steam turbine of a steam power plant, and a condenser is located above the turbine. The steam turbine has a high pressure stage 1 and a low pressure stage 2 and is connected to a generator 3. The low pressure stage 2 has an exhaust steam outlet 4 through which spent steam flows into the collecting chamber 5. The collecting chamber 5 is defined at the bottom thereof by a foundation 7 for the condensation system, and at the top thereof by a ceiling or cover 6.

The walls of the collecting chamber 5 may be formed of concrete, for example, a suitable protective layer being provided for preventing silica from passing from the concrete into the steam condensate collecting in the collecting chamber. A steel jacket serves as the protective layer and can be employed as a steel lining form which becomes a lost form for the concrete. In order to anchor the steel form in the concrete without difficulty, fluted pins or other suitable extensions can be mounted on the sheet steel so that they protrude into the concrete mass and are embedded therein.

The turbine is mounted on a table-like base plate 8 which is supported on the foundation 7 by support members 9. A multiplicity of steam distribution tubes 10 is, moreover, tightly secured in the ceiling or cover 6 and in the foundation 7, and the tubes to are interconnected at the upper end thereof by horizontally extending manifold tubes 10 through which the steam is conducted by small connecting tubes to cooling elements 12 of the condenser.

Cooling air is blown through the cooling elements 12 by fans or blowers 13. The blowers 13 are supported, together with their driving mechanisms, on support structures 14, the cooling elements 12 being carried by other support members 15. The supporting structural members 14 and 15 are secured, in turn, directly or by additional intermediary supports on pads or paws 16, which are mounted on the steam distribution tubes 10.

The tubes 10 are provided, in the interior of the steam collecting chamber 5, with lateral inlet openings 17, so as to permit the steam to travel into the tubes 10.

The condensate produced in the condensation elements l2 flows through lines 18 into a condensate collecting tank 19 which is provided in the foundation 7. With the aid ofa pump 20, the condensate is fed to the continuing water-steam circulatory loop through a connecting tube 21. The floor 22 of the power house is located at the level of the support plate 8 of the turbine, the distribution tubes 10 extending therethrough.

Obviously, it would also be possible to prevent the steam from traveling from the exhaust steam outlet 4 entirely or partly downwardly, but instead permit it to travel laterally through inclined outlet openings into the steam collecting chamber 5, in which case the foundation 7 would be located at a higher elevation under the support plate 8, or the latter would be disposed at a correspondingly lower elevation, so that the distance between the ceiling or cover 6 and the support plate 8 can be considerably reduced. Consequently, the support members 9 become correspondingly shorter, on the one hand, and the length of the distribution tubes 10 is also diminished, on the other hand.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are vertical and horizontal crosssectional views, respectively, taken in planes perpendicular to the cross-sectional plane shown in FIG. 1. Mutually corresponding part in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are identified by the same reference numerals. FIGS. 2 and 3 show a traveling crane 55 which can travel over the turbine, the space through which the crane 53 is traversible being kept free of the steam distribution tubes It). The carrying crane 53 travels on rails 51 and 52, hoisting equipment 54 being mounted thereon and being reciprocable in direction transverse to the direction of traverse of the crane 55 along the rails 51 and 52. As may be seen further in FIG. 3, boiler feed pumps 56 are located beneath as assembly access opening 55. A feedwater tank 57 with a degassing unit, as well as a preheating apparatus 53 are also provided.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4, a cooling tower is shown partially in cross-sectional view and partially in a view from the interior thereof. Although such a cooling tower could also be located above the power house according to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the further possibility is illustrated in FIG. 4 of erecting a cooling tower that is separated or away from the power house, the turbine exhaust steam being delivered from the turbine (not shown in FIG. 4) through a duct 31 and conducted to the collecting chamber 32. In a manner similar to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a multiplicity of distribution tubes 33 extend into the collecting chamber 32, and are formed at the lower ends thereof with lateral openings 34 through which steam enters the tubes 33 from the collecting chamber 32. The steam collecting chamber 32 is closed at the top thereof by a ceiling or cover 35 in which the distribution tubes 33 are tightly secured. The steam travels from the tubes 33 to the cooling elements 36 and is there condensed. A support ring 37 is mounted on and around the distribution tubes 33, the outer skin 38 of the cooling tower which is secured to the cooling tower structure 39 proper being, in turn, carried by the support ring 37.

Cooling air is delivered from the outside in the direction represented by the arrow 14 to the cooling element 36, and leaves the cooling tower in upward direction represented by the arrow 41. The foundation 42 of the cooling tower in which the distribution tubes 33 are secured, is embedded in the soil 43.

The invention of the instant application is of value for cooling towers with natural draft, as well as for those with forced draft. Also when the latter is formed of a series of individual cells. In such case, the steam collecting chamber 32 appropriately extends over several of such cooling tower cells.

I claim:

1. Condensation system for a steam power plant including a turbine, comprising a foundation for the plant, a collecting chamber formed in the foundation, means supporting the turbine above the collecting chamber, conduit means communicating between the turbine and the collecting chamber for admitting spent steam from the turbine into the collecting chamber, upright hollow support columns the lower end of each of which passes through the collecting chamber and is anchored in the foundation and the upper end of each of which extends above the turbine, a condenser supported by the columns at a level above the turbine, the condenser having a plurality of cooling elements, openings in a portion of each of the columns within the collecting chamber for admitting steam from the collecting chamber into the columns, and conduit means communicating between an upper portion of each of the columns and the cooling elements of the condenser for admitting steam from the columns to the cooling elements for condensation of the steam.

2. Condensation system according to claim 1 wherein said columns are rectilinear and of equal length.

3. Condensationsystem according to claim I wherein said collecting chamber is defined by walls formed of a material selected from the group consisting of masonry and concrete materials.

4. Condensation system according to claim 3 including a protective lining disposed on the interior of said walls.

5. Condensation system according to claim 4 wherein said lining is a sheetmetal jacket.

6. Condensation system according to claim 5 wherein said walls are formed of concrete and said sheetmetal jacket is a lost form remainder from the molding of the concrete walls of said collecting chamber, and serves as a supporting lining for said walls.

7. Condensation system according to claim 3 wherein said collecting chamber has a cover at the top thereof, said columns extending through and being tightly secured in said cover.

8. Condensation system according to claim 7 wherein said openings in the columns are lateral.

9. Condensation system according to claim 1 including support paws provided on said columns, and a support frame mounted on said support paws.

l0. Condensation system according to claim 1 including support paws provided on said columns, and a support ring mounted on said support paws.

11. Condensation system according to claim 1 wherein said conduit means communicating between the turbine and the collecting chamber comprises a duct formed of a material selected from the group consisting of concrete and similar structural materials. 

1. Condensation system for a steam power plant including a turbine, comprising a foundation for the plant, a collecting chamber formed in the foundation, means supporting the turbine above the collecting chamber, conduit means communicating between the turbine and the collecting chamber for admitting spent steam from the turbine into the collecting chamber, upright hollow support columns the lower end of each of which passes through the collecting chamber and is anchored in the foundation and the upper end of each of which extends above the turbine, a condenser supported by the columns at a level above the turbine, the condenser having a plurality of cooling elements, openings in a portion of each of the columns within the collecting chamber for admitting steam from the collecting chamber into the columns, and conduit means communicating between an upper portion of each of the columns and the cooling elements of the condenser for admitting steam from the columns to the cooling elements for condensation of the steam.
 2. Condensation system according to claim 1 wherein said columns are rectilinear and of equal length.
 3. Condensation system according to claim 1 wherein said collecting chamber is defined by walls formed of a material selected from the group consisting of masonry and concrete materials.
 4. Condensation system according to claim 3 includIng a protective lining disposed on the interior of said walls.
 5. Condensation system according to claim 4 wherein said lining is a sheetmetal jacket.
 6. Condensation system according to claim 5 wherein said walls are formed of concrete and said sheetmetal jacket is a ''''lost form'''' remainder from the molding of the concrete walls of said collecting chamber, and serves as a supporting lining for said walls.
 7. Condensation system according to claim 3 wherein said collecting chamber has a cover at the top thereof, said columns extending through and being tightly secured in said cover.
 8. Condensation system according to claim 7 wherein said openings in the columns are lateral.
 9. Condensation system according to claim 1 including support paws provided on said columns, and a support frame mounted on said support paws.
 10. Condensation system according to claim 1 including support paws provided on said columns, and a support ring mounted on said support paws.
 11. Condensation system according to claim 1 wherein said conduit means communicating between the turbine and the collecting chamber comprises a duct formed of a material selected from the group consisting of concrete and similar structural materials. 